


Earth's best defender

by DestielIsFuckinReal



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Gen, Past Character Death, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-29
Updated: 2019-05-29
Packaged: 2020-03-27 14:12:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,377
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19014520
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DestielIsFuckinReal/pseuds/DestielIsFuckinReal
Summary: Happy birthday to our hero, Iron Man





	Earth's best defender

**Author's Note:**

> Happy birthday to our hero, Iron Man

«Happy birthday, Mr Stark» Peter says. Tony's tombstone is simple, his name along with "Earth's best defender" are written on it, a mini arc reactor casts blue light on the flowers underneath. Fans, he thinks. It's been a little more than one month since the Battle of Earth,  Peter came to visit at least once a week.

He sits on the ground cross-legged, «I helped a girl who was being harassed today, those guys didn't stand a chance... I also lost another backpack but I'll go search for it later or May will be pissed» a thunder rumbles in the distance, «I'm going to Europe next week, I'm planning to tell MJ how I feel, you know, I... I really like her» Peter falls silent, raising his eyes to the sky. Dark, angry clouds are forming, promising rain. Looking back down, a tear falls from Peter's eye.

«I miss you, Tony» he sniffles, «this is all too much, the world needs its Iron Man and I'm not sure I'm doing a great job, I'm not sure I'm the guy for it» 

He hides his face in his hands and cries. He feels raindrops falling but he doesn't care, it's like the heavens decided to cry with him for one of the brightest souls Peter ever had the luck to meet, taken too soon. He doesn't know for how long he stays there, but the rain stops and he feels one tiny hand tapping his shoulder and then two arms around his neck. He raises his head to find Morgan hugging him. It's still raining, and when he raises his head more he sees Pepper with an umbrella, covering all three of them.

«Hey, Peter» she smiles, «you could catch something staying out in the rain like that» 

Peter dries his tears as best as he can.

«Are you here to wish daddy happy birthday too?» Morgan asks.

«Yes» he says standing up, «I'm here to wish Mr Stark a happy birthday»

Pepper puts one hand on Peter's shoulder while Morgan takes his hand.

Silence settles between them when Morgan speaks again, «I miss him»

Peter squeezes her hand, «We all do»

Morgan walks closer, holding Peter's hand still, and touches the mini arc reactor, the blue light even brighter in the storm's darkness.

«Happy birthday, daddy» she says, «uncle Happy bought cheeseburgers today because you like them and we ate them at mommy's office, uncle Rhodes came by too with auntie Carol. She's cool, you know? She can glow! And she has cool hair too» she leaves Peter's hand and cups them on the stone, «I love you 3000» she whispers but Peter heard her anyway and he feels a new rush of tears threatening to fall. Morgan walks back to Pepper and Peter, taking his hand again. They stay like that for a moment more, the only sounds are the raindrops falling on the ground all around and the occasional thunder in the distance. 

«Come, Pete» Pepper says, «we'll drive you home»

⎊

The rain subdued some when a lone figure walks to Tony Stark's tombstone, his metal arm hidden beneath a leather jacket, gloves covering his hands. He stops in front of it, he doesn't know what to say, remorse eating at him. Bucky Barnes did a lot of things while brainwashed by Hydra and all of them still haunt him, but the worse thing was probably killing Howard and Maria Stark, especially because he saw the look on Tony's face when he found out. He wanted to kill him then and if it wasn't for Steve, he would have succeeded because Bucky wouldn't have stopped him.

«Tony» he starts, stops, runs one hand through his hair. «I know you hate me for what I did to your parents» he tries again, «I'm deeply sorry for the pain I gave you and I know this doesn't mean anything now but... I just wanted to let you know, so...» he takes a deep breath «yeah... Steve says happy birthday, by the way, he couldn't come, his old bones aren't meant for a weather like this» he chuckles, «I guess I'll see you, and you can punch me when the time comes»

And just like that, he's gone.

⎊

Deep in space, on the Benatar, Thor is fiddling with Peter's zune.

«What are you doing?» StarLord asks, walking up to him.

«I'm just looking for something»

Peter extends one hand and Thor gives him the device, «Something in particular?»

«Is there any AC/DC on that thing? They were Tony's favorite band»

Peter falls silent for a moment. He knows how much Stark meant to Thor, they were close friends. Since Tony died, Thor has been distant, not that Peter would know, but Rocket and Groot said how more talkative and smiley Thor was before the snap.

Peter searches for AC/DC, playing the first song he sees on the screen, _Back in black_. Thor smiles a little, looking down.

«It's May 29th on Midgard» he says when the song ends and another starts, «Tony's birthday. I can't be there, we're too far away from Earth, but I hope he knows this is a celebration, small as it may be, of one of the greatest lives and minds that ever lived»

«I'm sorry, Thor» Peter says, «I didn't know Tony much but I saw him in action and he was great. Kind of an asshole, but great»

Thor's smiles widens a little at the last part, «He was one of my best friends»

⎊

At the same time, at the Avengers compound, or what it's left of it, Bruce is going through some documents when his eyes fall on the date. May 29th 2023. He smiles to himself.

«This looks like the aftermath of one of your birthday parties, uh Tony?» he says to the empty room, «I hope you're partying hard up there, with Nat. I bet she's kicking your ass»

⎊

The sun peeks from behind a cloud when Nick Fury drives to the cemetery.

«You motherfucker» he says, standing in front of Tony's tombstone, «you never wanted to be an Avenger because you always thought you didn't have what it takes to be a hero» he couches down, «you think the shit you pulled a month ago wasn't something a hero would do? Bullshit. You've always been a hero, Tony, you were just too self depreciating to see it. You're a hero to that spiderboy, you're a hero to that Tennessee kid, yes, I know about Harley. You're a hero to the _universe_ , and you've always been» he stands up again, «do me a favor and say hi to agent Romanoff for me» he turns around to walk away, then turns again, as if remembering something, «Oh, and happy birthday» he says, and walks back to his black suv.

⎊

«Hey Tones, happy birthday!» Nat punches his arm.

«Ouch, easy there, Romanoff» Tony laughs and Nat rolls her eyes. «How do you know what day it is on Earth anyway?»

«Heimdall the All-Seeing» Nat replies simply.

They walk side by side in one of the golden corridors of Valhalla. Tony read about it, when he met Thor, wanting to know more about the world his friend came from, and it's even better than what the myths say. And finding Nat here was just the cherry on top. She cried when she saw Tony, saying that he wasn't supposed to be here, that he had a wife and a daughter and he just got Peter back. Tony reassured her that it was ok, that now his family and the rest of the world were safe from the Mad Titan and his minions for good, and what world would have been anyway without the best spy ever? Nat punched him, «You weren't supposed to die» she said, to which Tony replied «Well, you neither»

«I miss them, you know» Tony says in the silence created between them.

«They miss you too» a voice says from behind, «and you too, Lady Romanoff»

They turn around to find Heimdall walking to them, «The world isn't the same without you two, but they're managing well»

Tony and Nat look at each other.

Nat smiles, Tony's arm around her shoulders, «Yes, I bet they are» 


End file.
